LSU coach Les Miles set for ‘ice bucket challenge’ Saturday

LSU coach Les Miles set for ‘ice bucket challenge’ Saturday

LSU coach Les Miles on Saturday will join a list of public figures to take part in the “ice bucket challenge” — a social media-driven awareness campaign for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Miles is scheduled for his ice water bath Saturday afternoon from Tiger Stadium following LSU’s first full scrimmage of fall camp. Miles won’t be the only SEC football coach to take part in the challenge.

ALS groups say the awareness campaign, with heavy backing from former New Orleans Saint Steve Gleason’s Team Gleason, has helped drive millions to ALS research funding, as well as raise the public’s knowledge of the disease, which is fatal and has no cure.

Gleason, who retired after the 2007 football season, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011.

His foundation provides supports to others with the disease.

The viral video sensation, which is sweeping Facebook and Twitter, has people across the country posting videos of themselves or others dumping large buckets of ice on their heads. They then “challenge” others to do the same or donate to ALS charities. Many are doing both, and politicians and celebrities have become popular subjects to challenge.

Futbol vs. football

Cameron Gamble was torn.

He wanted to play both football and soccer. The overlapping seasons didn’t allow for that. Gamble, LSU’s freshman kicker from Texas, found an easy fix.

“The only option I could do, if I wanted to play both, was to be the kicker,” Gamble said.

A soccer player since age 5, Gamble started playing football as a safety and receiver. He began to kick, and coaches at Flower Mound High liked what they saw.

“They said I was actually really good,” Gamble said.

Rated as high as the sixth-best kicker in the nation, Gamble is a rookie going through his first fall camp. He’s competing, primarily, as a kickoff specialist. He’s unsure if he’ll be redshirted.

LSU returns sophomore Colby Delahoussaye, who made 13 of 14 field goals last season. For now, Delahoussaye is expected to kickoff. Former LSU kickoff man James Hairston transferred over the offseason.